In Australia, an Avenue of Honour is a memorial avenue of trees, with each tree symbolising a person. The tradition, which originated in the Goldfields region of Victoria, Australia, is an important part of Australian culture. There are 547 known avenues of honour in Australia, in all states and territories except the Northern Territory. Over half are in Victoria.[1]
Most avenues are in remembrance of those who fought or died in war, particularly World War I (1914–1918), although the earliest recorded avenues were planted in remembrance of Australia's participation in the Second Boer War (1899-1902).[1] Since soldiers were grouped by the place they were recruited, a military defeat often meant all of the men of eligible age from the town were killed in the same battle. Many of the avenue's trees include metal plaques naming the victims.
Many of these avenues now feature large, established trees and exotic species.
An online project titled "Avenues of Honour 1915-2015" (www.avenuesofhonour.org) has been established by Treenet, the urban tree research and education organisation based at the University of Adelaide's Waite Arboretum.[1]
State significant avenues
Victory Arch at the entrance to the Avenue of Honour, Ballarat
Ballarat — The longest (22 kilometres and 3,912 trees) of the Avenues of Honour, made ever grander by its Arch of Victory.[2][3]
Bacchus Marsh Road — The avenue of Dutch Elm trees serves as a tribute to local people who enlisted in the First World War. The 281 trees were simultaneously planted on the call of a bugle in 1918.[4][5]
Anglesea – relatively unusual in that flowering gums (corymbia ficifolia) were planted. Seventy-two trees were planted but only three or four remain.[9]
Ballarat East — A second lesser known Avenue of Honour once marked the eastern entrance to Ballarat at Victoria Street. A handful of trees remain on one side of the road, the rest having been demolished, most during construction of the rail flyover in the 1960s.
